My Top 40 Albums - #15

#15
Blindside - "Silence"

Year: 2002
Label: Elektra / Wea
Favorite songs: Time Will Change Your Heart, She Shut Your Eyes, Sleepwalking, Pitiful, Thought Like Flames
Lyric sample: "Caught a glimpse of Your eye / Everything freezes / I'm in an old photograph / I'm back from the start / Caught a glimpse of Your eye / Everything freezes I'm / I'm ready to give You my heart"

Third "hard" album in a row, huh? Perhaps Blindside can actually be called hardcore. After all, if their previous release A Thought Crushed My Mind wasn't hardcore, it's hard to imagine what is. Silence is smoothed out a bit, and watered down a bit, in terms of sheer heaviness. What this accomplishes is to make the music more accessible and listenable. I'm sure purists were probably upset, but I was thrilled; because this is a record I not only enjoy, but praise among my favorite albums.

I received Silence as a gift after showing interest entirely on the strength of the popular single "Pitiful." I wasn't overly thrilled when I first popped it into my CD player. After all, the first track "Caught a Glimpse" sounds kind of like the stereotypical hard rock record, starting out kind of quietly with a down-tuned but clean guitar intro before bursting into distortion, cymbals and screaming. Yet somewhere in that I noticed a few things that stuck out to me. This wasn't just mindless noise. I think at some point I recognized a chromatic riff that was nicely juxtaposed with the melody in a way that I hadn't expected. The band was using cleverly placed passing notes to create pockets of tension before moving on. That and the choruses were melodic. That was enough for me to know I should stick it out.

Turns out Blindside is an exceptionally gifted group, and this record shows it. First of all, they are basically a three-piece band with a singer. Their music is neither banally simple nor achingly complex, by virtue of the fact that there is only one guitarist who must work with the rhythm section to hold down the bottom while throwing in lead licks and accents where appropriate. The production and the performance work hand in hand here to give us something that has energy and weight but also has enough space within it that it doesn't feel small or muddy. The second asset is just as important. I'm of the opinion that if a band is going to have an extra member just to do vocals, he'd better be dynamite. Christian Lindskog (yeah, that's right, they are from Sweden) is possibly the most remarkable vocalist I have heard doing this style of music. His range, versatility, purity and aggression is simply astounding. He has the enviable ability of being able to launch into a harsh hardcore scream, segue into a beautiful, crystal clear singing note, and back again, all in the same breath. His strength and style is a huge selling point. If not for him, I don't think Blindside would even receive much notice. And that would be a shame, because the writing is what sells this album for me.

Blindside actually got me interested in music again after I had been going through something of a dry spell. I simply hadn't heard anything new in months that made me sit up and take notice. Nothing was surprising, fresh, captivating. Then I gave Silence a listen, and I was shocked to find not just one but several songs that were striking and invigorating. The one that got my attention is "She Shut Your Eyes." The chord choices in the chorus of this song contrasted against the melody are just perfect. It's dynamic and exciting. Then as I listened I found more favorites - in the fierce, break-neck "Time Will Change Your Heart," the somewhat strange "Thought Like Flames" and the pounding, emotional "Sleepwalking."

As it turns out, there's not a poor song out of 13. Some like "You Can Hide It" and "Midnight" don't stand out, but given the high caliber of the rest of the recording, that's not surprising. Probably on a more average rock record, those songs would be among the better tracks. Almost every time I listen, I find a new reason to love Silence. It's an album that engages from the outset and ages with grace. Definitely required listening for hard rock enthusiasts.

Start rocking with this video of "Sleepwalking." "Pitiful" is a cooler video, so you might want to check that out too, but I think I prefer this song. Plus it's not as well known.

My Top 40 Albums - #16

#16
Thousand Foot Krutch - "Phenomenon"

Year: 2003
Label: Tooth & Nail
Favorite songs: Last Words, Faith Love & Happiness, Bounce, Break the Silence, Quicken, Step to Me
Lyric sample: "We come rushing through your stereo system / Into your ear canal like the alignments of the solar system / Have you forgotten about the days / When we just wanted to rock 'cause we like it that way? / And, no more hate, no more lies, no more politics / Seen the fakes who cry over copied riffs / This is the day that we rise and we conquer it / Raise your mics to the sky like apocalypse"

This is going to be a tough review to write. Not because I don't love Phenomenon. I do. It's just that I'm not sure exactly why. It might not have a reasonable explanation. It might be a guilty pleasure. I may have to do some soul-searching to discover its appeal. The first time I heard the record was actually in school. One of my classmates had brought it into the classroom as was playing it, somewhat softly, on the CD player while we worked. While they had received permission to do this, I'm not sure Mrs. Lewis knew exactly what she was acquiescing to. Maybe, in true rock tradition, Phenomenon is associated to me with rebellion. A harmless brand, maybe, but whatever. I don't even know what the other students thought about it, but I enjoyed it. I had heard of Thousand Foot Krutch and, before that day, I thought they were an obnoxious, low-quality rap-core outfit - not the kind of thing I cared to be associated with. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the record was instead a hard-hitting collection of melodic and rhythmic, riff-driven tracks that had more in common with Linkin Park than with Korn.

Phenomenon is dark enough musically to warrant the Linkin' Park comparison, but it is an incomplete assessment. TFK is not emo by any stretch of the imagination. While Park's lyrics tend to be introverted and pessimistic, with their floating keys and drawn out chords suggesting kind of a musical head-hanging, Thousand Foot Krutch is all about having a good time. It's a kind of bad-boy rock maybe, but it is infused with the energy of their rap roots. The result is a sublime middle ground that has the harsh vocals, melodic riffs, and down-tuned guitars of nu-metal as well as the emphasis on beat and a lyrical style that owes much to hip-hop sensibility - without anyone actually rapping. That, I believe, is the true achievement of this record. It hits upon a perfect recipe. Thousand Foot Krutch has found their voice.

Speaking of voice, frontman Trevor McNevan has never sounded this good in his career before or since. He's a powerhouse. He does absolutely everything on this record. He screams on "Bounce"and "New Design," and He spits out convoluted lines like an MC on "Quicken"  and "Ordinary." He sings as sweetly as he can muster on "This is A Call." The style of this record fits him like a wet suit. Best of all, he shows a kind of grungy toughness that is missing on the later releases. He also plays guitar, and he's always solid without ever showing off. There's no crazy leads like on The Art of Breaking, but honestly no loss comes to the material. It isn't flashy - it doesn't need to be. That's another impressive part of the package. Thousand Foot Krutch was a three piece at this point, and everything on the album can be played by one guitar, one bass, and a drummer. The bassist doesn't get to shine as much as you might think, but he's very important and is often left to hold up the verses when the guitar drops out. The drummer actually gets to have quite a bit of fun. Phenomenon throws us some tricky rhythms, not the least of which is "Quicken." I have basically no understanding of what is going on during the first verse of that song. It seems like the vocals and the drums don't match up - I can't find the beats where the measures divide. Yet it somehow stays together successfully and makes for a very interesting experience.

As for the lyrics, sometimes I get an idea of what the songs are talking about. Other times I'm really not sure at all. It's my feeling that the boys were more concerned that their lyrics sounded good with the flow of the song than in being very clear. It's party music, mostly, so meaning is almost incidental. It's optional. At least they manage to include some evocative phrases such as on the fitting introduction and title track. "Don't let these spiders crawl up beside us / They want to bite us, inject the virus / Raise up your lighters, praise to the Righteous / Need You to guide us / Get prepared to go." Most of the time the lyrics seem to be chosen to compliment and maximize the hits and hooks, which is really all they need to do on a record like this. I think it works more often than not.

One more thing I want to address. From the first song to the last, this record is highly cohesive. Some might call it repetitive. I prefer to think of it as consistent. These are the only 12 songs in the world that have this particular sound, and "This Is A Call" doesn't really count, so that leaves us with just 11. They are like nothing else that I have ever heard. And not a single song is bad. Some are stronger than others, but they all have redeeming sections. Sometimes I'll be listening through, and at the start I will think "oh, this song isn't that great" but then I'll hear a portion of it later on that I forgot when there, and my opinion of it brightens.

In the words of Dr. Ellie Sattler, "You can't think through this one - you have to feel it." Phenomenon is not a cerebral experience. It's a visceral one. It plays to those parts of your body that like to swagger, bob, and rock. All of these tracks beg to be played loud and live with a crowd that can actually throw up their rawkfists in appreciation. It's far and away Thousand Foot Krutch's best album, and it has moshed and slam-danced its way to #16 on my list. Not bad for a bunch of Canucks.

Fun fact: Drummer Steve Augustine looks kind of like David Schwimmer.
Fun fact 2: The album cover reminds me of Eternal Darkness for some reason.

Alright, I'm taking a risk here. The only music video that came out of this record, to my knowledge, is for "Rawkfist." Not only is this one of the worst songs on the album, but the video is terribly bland and lame. No crowd, heck, no one even throws up a rawkfist. It's not a good representation of how great the record is. So the video I'm linking you to is just a song that plays while they show the album cover. The song is "Last Words." It's hard to pick a song from this album but since you know how much I like anti-suicide songs it seemed like the obvious choice. Enjoy.

My Top 40 Albums - #17

#17
Skillet - "Collide"

Year: 2004
Label: Lava
Favorite songs: Imperfection, Forsaken, Cycle Down, Savior, Under My Skin, Energy
Lyric sample: "You're a silent rage / You're a hurricane / You are everything I cannot see and can't explain / You're an enigma / Wrapped in a mystery / Everywhere I got I can't escape Your energy"

I've been informed that this record is not "hardcore." It's not really anything-core. But it is "hard." It's hard rock. Yet as an adjective and not as a genre term, you might say that it is hardcore because it rocks so hard. As you can see I don't much care what you call it, as long as you can come to grips with the idea - and that idea is a bone-shaking, earth-moving juggernaut. With Collide, Skillet has in some way come full circle while always moving forward. Their first record was a grungy affair, changing radically on the second to an overwhelmingly electronic sound. Invincible blended the techno and rock in almost equal parts, and Alien Youth scaled the loops and synths back to accommodate a up-front, guitar-driven hard rock. Enter Collide. The techno sounds that defined the middle of Skillet's career have almost entirely disappeared, and we're left with a severe disposition blending a bit of the grungy sensibility from their debut with a heaping helping of the heaviest down-tuned guitars and pounding drums the band has ever used. It's raw almost to the point of being abrasive. Cooper's vocals compliment that angle - they've never been so harsh and he's never screamed so much. In place of the electronic sounds, Skillet has introduced a much more organic accompaniment. On songs like "Savior" and "Under My Skin" you'll note strangely appropriate use of acoustic guitars, and a string section has been added on anthems like "Collide." This has been done quite a bit in the last few years but in 2004 I wasn't used to hearing it, and it seemed like a very creative way to approach the genre. As it happens, the strings are extremely effective.

I'll admit it took me some time to warm up to the new format. 12 tracks of crashing intensity can be a bit much, especially if you're not a veteran of this kind of music. The drop-C guitars, the immense bass response, the frequent screaming - it's enough to rattle the brain a little. So why does it work so well? Precisely because Skillet's extreme lyrical imagery and style has been practically begging for this kind of bold treatment. After hearing this, it's almost hard to picture them any other way (although I wish John had kept the hair from Invincible).

Of course, all of this noise could easily be just a clanging cymbal. The second reason that Collide is successful is that the songs are consistently melodically strong with the heavy riffs to match. "Cycle Down" is one of my favorite songs on the record. While it might not be a standout for most people, I find that the song - the bridge especially - is very catchy and singable. That appeals to me (it's a good ending song as well). A hard rocker's true joy may well be the middle section including "My Obsession" and "Fingernails." These songs (along with "Energy" and "Forsaken" as bookends) are unrelenting, even dark, rockers that pound incessantly. I actually feel that "Obsession" and "Fingernails" is the weakest section, and that the one following is among the best. "Imperfection" is my personal favorite tune from the record and I consider it one of the best songs of Skillet's career. For one thing, it starts off slowly and builds into a wonderfully melodic chorus that contrasts the lyrics with the rhythm and has some very pleasing chord progressions. Moreover, it allows the talented Ben Kasica to show of his guitar chops a little with the only solo on the album. 

This is just a powerful recording in which Skillet finds (another) niche that they can well command. Alien Youth was more of a growing, experimenting period. With Collide the experiments have paid off, and they have produced a splintering, remorseless, in-your-face brand of rock that takes no prisoners without sacrificing lyrical integrity or songwriting savvy. It's one of the purest rock albums on this list and an exemplary offering from one of my all time favorite groups.

Collide with Skillet's popular single "Savior." Watch the video!

My Top 40 Albums - #18

#18
Relient K - "MmHmm"

Year: 2004
Label: Capitol
Favorite songs: More Than Useless; Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet?; Maintain Consciousness, Who I Am Hates Who I've Been, Be My Escape, The Only Thing Worse Than Beating a Dead Horse is Betting on One
Lyric sample: "Make your decision and don't you dare think twice / Go with your instincts along with some bad advice / This didn't turn out the way I thought it would at all / You blame me, but some of this is still your fault / I tried to move you but you just wouldn't budge / I tried to hold your hand but you'd rather hold your grudge / I think you know what I'm getting at / You said goodbye and I just don't want you regretting that"

When I saw that I had placed this record so high on my list I thought I must be crazy. Relient K? Really? I mean, yeah, they were great when I was a sophomore in high school, but it's somewhat less amusing now. I know what good music is and chances are they don't fit the bill a lot of time. Then I started skimming down the track list and trying to pick out my favorites, and you know what? I had a tough time of it. Practically every song on this album is great. Add to that the fact that Mmhmm is tightly produced and sounds a good bit heavier than the almost overly poppy Two Lefts, and you have what is arguably Relient K's most impressive release. It still has the palm muted guitars and the recognizable pop punk drumming, but it's only punk-influenced. This is actually a pop rock album featuring plenty of piano and breakdowns along with its double time snares and crisp power chords. It still lacks the raw attack of the first record, but it benefits finely tuned bass response that lets us hear all the pieces of the musical whole.

Unlike the previous album, it isn't "funny," per se. There's no "Mood Rings" or "College Kids" here. That doesn't mean that it's without the trademark Matt Theissen wit, though. The lyrics are as punchy as the music, contributing as much to the flow of the record as any other ingredient. The lyric sample I referenced is a good example. It's full of quips, quirks and quotables. There is an emphasis on relationships, so expect a lot of the songs to address that theme from one angle or another. Some are happy ("High of 75"), some bittersweet ("My Girl's Ex Boyfriend") and some downright angry ("Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet?"). The latter song is one of Relient K's more unique efforts. What is otherwise one of the heaviest songs in their repertoire features a banjo, plucking away during the interludes. It also has Theissen basically screaming the chorus - it's something to behold for RK fans who have never heard them quite this way before.  Then some are simply sad (the somber "Let It All Out").

Aside from personal relationships, MmHmm also examines our relationships to God and to society, and our worth in the overall plan. This can be seen in "I So Hate Consequences," "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been," "More Than Useless," and "Maintain Consciousness." It's not all deep contemplations, though. There's still plenty of spontaneous fun to be had and some explosive musical ideas. The frenzied "The Only Thing Worse Than Beating a Dead Horse is Betting on One" is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it political tirade clocking in at just 1minute 13 seconds - and an album highlight as well. Compare also the energy of "Maintain Consciousness" with its blazing guitar licks during the breakdown.

I have only one significant complaint against MmHmm, and it's an unusual one. I actually think the album is too long. Normally I'm never against putting more songs on a record - might as well give the listeners more for their money. However, in this case, I feel the record has a perfect ending point at the close of "This Week the Trend." At the very end of the song, the lyric "stuck watching our lives blow up" is slowed down, and with every syllable it seems to gain momentum as more voices ad to the harmony. These high strains return to tonic and the guitar simply plays the same chord over and over until the song cuts out. In my mind, this would have been the way to end it. It's memorable, forceful, and appropriate. Instead, we then get what seems kind of a lackluster filler song "Life After Death and Taxes" and then the sprawling, unfocussed and overlong "When I Go Down," which admittedly does have some find moments. Neither of these songs is really poor, but they seem to drag out what could have been a very succinct statement. All this said, I'm sure most fans appreciate the additional material. Relient K records have traditionally had an above average song count and its tough to fault that.

I'm trying to come up with specific examples of why this is the finest pop punk album to come down the pike since forever, but all I can really recommend is that you listen. The bizarre humor has been toned down, but almost everything else that fans love about Relient K has been amped up. Should you get this album? My verdict is, most assuredly. Absolutely. Yeah-huh. Mmhmm.

My Top 40 Albums - #19

#19
Switchfoot - "New Way to Be Human"

Year: 1999
Label: Re: Think
Favorite songs: New Way to Be Human, Something More, Let That Be Enough, Incomplete, Sooner or Later, Company Car
Lyric sample: "I'm the king of things I've always despised / I'm the gingerbread man who got eaten alive / I'm half baked / I'm fake / But hey, I've got hotels on Park Place and Boardwalk / And two hundred bucks / I pass Go, but oh, life's taken its toll / Have I won Monopoly to forfeit my soul?"

It's the red one with the fingerprint. After hearing Switchfoot's breakout single Chem 6A on a sampler, I was interested enough to invest in the trio's sophomore effort, New Way to Be Human. In 1999, I was still just getting into alternative rock, and I didn't know what to make of Switchfoot. They could bright and poppy, and at the same time heavy and grungy. Their genre oddities surprised me, and at first that was off-putting. Of course, the more I listened, the strangeness became endearing. It was a refreshing break from the utterly predictable adult contemporary that I had listened to most of my life. If you're thinking that what I just said doesn't describe Switchfoot, either the only thing you've heard the radio remix of "Dare You To Move" or you haven't been paying enough attention. In actuality, the best quality of their latest Oh, Gravity is that in some ways it returns to the form  of this record, throwing unexpected dynamic or rhythm changes into songs, contrasting styles, etc.  It's not experimental music, but it is not static either. Oh, and it has horns. Who expected horns on an alt rock record, one that isn't remotely ska? Not me.

Take "Sooner or Later" for instance. It's a quiet, almost plodding song with strings and a strange processed trumpet sound in the background that explodes suddenly in the bridge with distorted guitars and a satisfying melodic switch. For 45 seconds or so, it's a rock song. Then, we're back where we were before like nothing much had happened. Just ripples in the pond remind us of the upset. Then there's "Incomplete," an energetic rocker that harkens back to "Chem 6A" by using a repetitive guitar riff as the basis for most of the song. A lot of Switchfoot favorites hail from this release like "Something More (Augustine's Confession)" and the now-popular "Only Hope." "Only Hope" became a hit after it was featured in the movie A Walk to Remember. Had this not happened, I predict that Switchfoot would never have played the song again. It simply is not a standout in any way. If I were to pick a ballad from this record, it would most certainly be "Let That Be Enough." This song's grassroots humility and simple guitar melody, combined with Jon's personal lyrics, make it one of the band's enduring soft tracks.

The best moment, however, is the title track and opener "New Way to Be Human." To this day, it easily remains one of Switchfoot's greatest songs. It's heavy, catchy, and lyrically smart. In some ways it represents the height of what their early years had to offer. The single guitar note and drum loop at the beginning stops and we hear three small bell chimes. We know we're in for something special. The drums resume, joined by a twangy, out of focus guitar and some voices whistling. It's odd - but oddly likeable. Full chords ring out as the pre-chorus slows, letting us float for a moment in empty space - then like a lurching car the song accelerates into the chorus, dominated by the syncopated bursts of overdriven guitar and Jon Foreman's stratospheric melody.

It's a little overplayed to me now, because I've listened so many times. Yet that doesn't keep me from remembering the goodness that is New Way to Be Human as a breakthrough album from my favorite band filled with fantastic songs.

My Top 40 Albums - #20

#20
Newsboys- "Take Me To Your Leader"

Year: 1996
Label: Sparrow
Favorite songs: God Is Not A Secret, Breakfast, Lost the Plot, Cup O' Tea, Take Me To Your Leader, It's All Who You Know
Lyric sample: "Justin is adjustin' to the odor from Theodore's evergreen incense / But aroma therapy don't make him any younger than Oliver's all liver supplements / His late mate Merrilee merrily said immortality can't be bought in a jar / This just in, Justin's had enough of cure-alls, gonna quiz the neighbor kid with the fish on his car"

Surprised to see this here? I am too, a little. I didn't think I liked Newsboys that much. However, this is a record of which I have fond memories and which - here's the kicker - has lost none of its potency today.

Long about 1997 I was 11 years old, and some of my friends were becoming teenagers. They started getting into heavier music than the Michael W. Smith-ish pop stuff I was hearing at home. One of the first really heavy songs I heard was "Some Kind of Zombie" by Audio Adrenaline, which was by all accounts a lot of noise. Awesome noise, but not the kind of thing on which parents and kids tend to agree. Now my parents were cool, and as long as I was listening to Christian bands with positive lyrics we were mostly good, but that didn't keep me from feeling a little edgy when courting music that was also edgy. I never really knew when the straws would break the proverbial camel's back and they'd decide that that noisy rock was corrupting me, and sending both me and the camel spiraling through the eye of the needle in a hand basket... or something. I had borrowed Take Me to Your Leader from the same rebel friend that unleashed "Zombie" on my young brain, and I remember playing it really quietly when my parents weren't home. I laugh about it now, because it's pretty funny how nervous I was about it. Listen to the opening track, "God is Not A Secret." Hear those grungy guitars? EDGY. And don't even get me started on "Lost the Plot" whose jarring chord choices, raspy vocals and wailing background licks made its message rather indigestible to the average home school mom.

Since that day I've learned to play it loud and proud. 12 years later this is still Newsboys' best album and one of the gems of the 90's. The song that defines the band's sound for me (and many), Breakfast, is perhaps their most well-known song next to "Shine." How many people will never look at Captain Crunch the same way again? But don't stop there, because there's a wealth of music on this record that transcends the pulpy "Breakfast." Leader stands out among other Newsboys albums in several related ways. The first is that it is undeniably their heaviest effort. Remember I was talking about 'edgy?' Here it is. "God is Not A Secret," "Breathe," "Cup O' Tea," and "Lost the Plot" are all intense rock tracks thick with cymbal peals and cranked up guitar amps. You won't find this on most of the rest of the 'boys' discography. The second is that the rock is used to excellent effect. There are not one but two songs that tend to give me chills when I hear them, and that is a combination of the powerful lyrics and perfectly matched musical and vocal passages forming a poignant whole.

One of these songs is the uncompromising opener "God is Not a Secret" with its raw, raging attack and the cutting bridge lines: "And would I wash my hands again / Would I deny my Savior when / He hung inside the public square / Did not my silence put Him there." It's sung with such energy that it brings both sonic satisfaction and instant conviction. This is the reason it bothered me so much when, on their greatest hits compilation, Newsboys recorded a new version of this song with Toby Mac guest rapping. That version, disrupting the delicate balance of perfection, excluded this arresting bridge, opting instead for the banal lines "Faith ain't easy to understand / When a bird in the bush is worth two in the hand / The truth ain't nothing to taste and hide / You gotta get up, put up, get off your backside." Thankfully, the original has been preserved for me to treasure - and treasure it I do.

"Lost the Plot" slowly builds to the screamed lines "Are you still listenin'? / Cause we're obviously not / We've forgotten our first love / We have lost the plot / And are You still callin'? / You forgave, we forgot / We're such experts at stallin' / That we lost the plot." It's a hauntingly honest reflection. I don't have time to talk about all the great moments on this record. It marks John James' last appearance with the band. Steve Taylor's lyrical influence is strongly felt. Many of the songs on this album are lyrically strong. The bouncy and quirky, the brash and untidy, the tender and soft - all of this is found across this spectacular  alien soundscape. It's a place I don't mind being transported for 45 minutes.

Flight training: Watch the "Take Me To Your Leader" music video!

My Top 40 Albums - #21

#21
Steven Curtis Chapman- "Speechless"

Year: 1999
Label: Sparrow
Favorite songs: Dive, Speechless, I Do Believe, The Change, Whatever, What I Really Want to Say 
Lyric sample: "The long awaited rains have fallen hard upon the thirsty ground / And carved their way to where the wild and rushing river can be found / And like rains I have been carried here to where the river flows / My heart is racing and my knees are week as I walk to the edge / I know there is no turning back once my feet have left the ledge / And in the rush I hear a voice / That's telling me it's time to take a leap of faith / So here I go"

Steven Curtis Chapman ruled Christian music in the 90's. The span from 1990 (For the Sake of the Call) to 1999 (Speechless) encapsulates nearly all of his best work, the possible exception beings 1989's More To This Life. While artists like Michael W. Smith and Jars of Clay pulled something of a crossover act, Steven remained mostly in the CCM mainstream, primarily as a result of his undiluted lyrics. Of course, he has talent coming out of his ears and could easily have been successful in any pop, rock or even country outlet, as evidenced by the fact that he is the recipient of several Grammy Awards. His superior musical craftsmanship stood him head and shoulders above the average band or solo artist, and he quickly became something of a Christian music golden boy, winning more Dove Awards than any other artist in the GMA's history. Heaven in the Real World went Platinum; Signs of LIfe went Gold. On the heels of all this success came his last (and, in my opinion, last great) album, Speechless. And that's the way it left us.

Moving away from the folksy leanings of the last record and into more pop rock territory, Speechless featured prominent use of strings. They filled the spaces of the ballads of course, but also accented the punchy rock tracks. It's one of the more trademark sounds of the record, which is also seamlessly produced, allowing for a wonderful mix of the percussive acoustic guitars with the keys. distorted electrics and string arrangements. At the time, this was Steven's heaviest offering. "I Do Believe" surprised some listeners with a guitar riff reminiscent of Aerosmith. Jam out songs like "Whatever" and "The Change" were destined to become favorites. "Whatever" proved that even amongst all the production, Steven never lost the hands-on sound of a group performing, something he carried over from the recent Abbey Road recordings on his Greatest Hits record.

It was the rock songs that initially impressed me, predictably. However much of the beauty here is found in the quiet moments, and there are a lot of them. "Invitation," "Great Expectations," and "With Hope" are all fairly subdued meditations. In fact, the last four tracks are ballads all put together. Only a few people can get away with this, and SCC is one of them. These songs are low-key, but they deal tenderly with subjects that deserve to be approached in this manner. "With Hope," a song grieving over the death of a young child, and can you imagine a song called "Be Still and Know" as a noise rock tune?  Even as I defend his choices I will admit that this tests my patience much of the time. If there is a flaw in Speechless, that would be the one that prevents it from ranking in the top 20. Still it is a fantastic album, a standout production from a luminary. It's certainly a recording I would recommend to just about anyone.

My Top 40 Albums - #22

#22
Ace Troubleshooter- "The Madness of the Crowds"

Year: 2002
Label: Tooth & Nail
Favorite songs: The Madness of the Crowds, Age of Gold, 2:00 Your Time, But For Grace, Numinous, Amanda
Lyric sample: "Silent as the grave / Covering deeds, covering man / Eyes that pierce and blaze / Wounded hands stretching out to save"

I think from here on out I'm just going to say "I love this album" and skip the elaborate descriptions.

Ha! You only wish you were that lucky. Ace Troubleshooter is my favorite pop punk band (yes, more than Relient K). Of course, only their first record was really punk all the way through. Madness contains certain elements of that, but it's rightly more pop rock. "Amanda" recalls their older style most - punchy powerchords and pounding drums being the meat and potatoes, though Ace here manages to throw in unexpected melodic twists with some satisfying harmonies which is certainly the case here. It's really the melodies that make this album stand out. "2:00 Your Time" might be similarly unremarkable if it weren't for that pitch-perfect blend of guitars with just the right amount of distortion and a simple but elegant melody. The opener and title track is the heaviest, most driving song and the one that will appeal most to punk fans. The rest of the record actually might lose them a little. Songs like "Have it All" and "Numinous" are much slower, bigger-sounding rock ballads that defy the genre but add some real depth and texture to the record.

The fun and variety of this album makes it stand out as Ace's best and most memorable. "But For Grace" might be one of the best songs of their career with its almost haunting, feedback-laden buildup, the pounding insistence of the rhythm section, the tension created by the distorted bends, and the overlapping chorus with its powerful word picture. I feel this style of song paved the way for some of the better tracks on It's Never Enough, such as My Defense. Another unusual song for them is the happy "Age of Gold" which features what is perhaps the first and only Ace guitar solo (admittedly played by one of the members' brothers). The record carries themes of ecstatic young love and the desire for freedom and adventure. "Age of Gold," "2:00 Your Time," "Let's Go Away" and others depict different aspects of this. I almost can't describe what exactly is so likeable about The Madness of the Crowds, but it has staying power with me. Maybe it just feels good, like an old couch that you sink into.

Edit: It would not surprise me to find out that the final song, "Your Reach" was written at the last moment because they needed a way to end the record. It feels a little rushed, without as much quality as most of the others.  HOWEVER, I just listened to the whole record and I would have no problem starting it again from the beginning. It's that good.

My Top 40 Albums - #23

#23
The Classic Crime - "Albatross"

Year: 2006
Label: Tooth & Nail
Favorite songs: The Coldest Heart, The Fight, Flight of Kings, The Bitter Uprising, All The Memories
Lyric sample: "I can't stop moving cause I'll feel dead / Give me a second and I'll turn it into a year that you won't forget / We'll make them read our stories / Yeah we'll make them eat their words / We'll make their lives seem boring for what it's worth"

There are few things I like more than rock music with a pulse, and The Classic Crime pumps with the best of them. Landing somewhere in between Anberlin, Number One Gun, Forever Changed and Fall Out Boy (though only in the vocals for the latter) with hints of scream-o and heavier styles pulling at the edges, The Classic Crime is a lively new band that makes me excited as I listen. The vocalist has great range, clarity and power. His style blends perfectly with the crisp guitars and melodic songwriting. It's emotional without being angsty, tender without being juvenile, and appropriately celebratory without being corny. The sometimes simple progressions never seem too simple - the rap of the drums and the skillful lead guitar passages urge the songs on to something greater. The verses are filled with energetic riffs and the bridges take sometimes dynamic and pleasing turns. It's one thing to crank out a modern rock album, but it's something entirely different to make each sing uniquely entertaining so that the record never really falters. Each time a new song begins, I think "ooh, I like this one." Even the songs I didn't initially like are growing on me.

There are harder rock songs like "Blisters and Coffee" and "The Poet" that will please heavier rock fans, and youthful, punkish romps in "All the Memories" and "I Know the Feeling." The best songs, though, are the ones that defy easy categorization. "The Coldest Heart" begins with a bouncy, almost ska-like guitar sound and maintains its kinetic energy into the chorus. The catchy hook is a high point of the album, and the song ends in a raspy shout. Albatross can be edgy but it is rarely dark. Most of the songs are hopeful, or at least come across that way.

More than many recent records, this one has some thought-provoking lyrics; or at very least, interesting ones. Looking for a lyric sample often lets me know how much of the artist's lyrics have staying power. It was hard for me to pick one moment from a record full of intriguing turns of phrase. Even the cryptic lyrics that I couldn't explain coherently to you if I tried manage to somehow resonate with me and feel true, like they are saying something about my experience though it may not be the way I would have said it. That's not a very good explanation, but I think it gives you some insight into the way I view this CD. It's always something I can put on and enjoy, and that is worth volumes.